Peter Barlow was arrested for bigamy in September 2003. He had married Lucy Richards in the March but within a couple of days she discovered that he had not told the other woman in his life, Shelley Unwin, that they were no longer an item and Lucy threw him out of their flat. Peter, unable to face the realities of the situation he had created, agreed to marry Shelley and their wedding took place in the July. Two months later, Shelley and Lucy realised that they were married to the same man and reported Peter to the police.